THE EARTH FROM SPACEGary Lagerloef, Ph.D.

Earth From Space: A Dynamic Planet The world’s space programs have long focused on measurements of Earth. NASA has more than a dozen satellites collecting data on weather, climate change, the land, ocean and polar regions. They reveal Earth’s dynamic biosphere, atmosphere, oceans and ice. Get a guided tour of an active and dynamic Earth with amazing and astonishing images and videos.

The Oceans Defined Satellites have greatly enhanced the explora-tion & understanding of our oceans. From early weather satellite images detailing ocean currents to views of the marine biosphere, new satellite technologies have revolutionized our scientific understanding of the oceans. Find out what we can measure from space today, objectives of measurement, the amazing technology behind these abilities, and the latest compelling discoveries.

Climate Science in the Space Age Climate variability and change are among the most important societal issues of our time. Signs of rising global temperatures are obvi-ous in meteorology and oceanography. We’ll discuss short, medium and long-term climate variability & change. You’ll gain perspectives to effectively sort through contemporary debate about climate change.

The Aquarius/SAC-D Satellite Mission Take an in-depth look at the Aquarius/SAC-D mission, an oceanographic partnership between the United States and Argentina. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the process of developing and launching a new satellite mission, a briefing on the core scientific mission, and a look at initial findings. Dive into a session that ties together mission, data, and applied science.

PHYSICSSpeaker: Lawrence Krauss, Ph.D.

The Elusive Neutrino Neutrinos are the most remarkable elementary particles we know about. They are remarkable probes of the Universe, revealing information about everything from exploding stars to the fundamental structure of matter. Dr. Krauss will present a historical review of these elusive and exciting objects, and leave you with some of the most remarkable unsolved mysteries in physics.

The Physics of Star TrekJoin Lawrence Krauss for a whirlwind tour of the Star Trek Universe and the Real Universe — find out why the latter is even more exotic than the former. Dr. Krauss, the author of The Physics of Star Trek, will guide you through the Star Trek universe, which he uses as a launching pad to the fascinating world of modern physics.

Space Travel: Why Humans Aren’t Meant for Space The stars have beckoned humans since we first looked at the night sky. Humans set foot on the Moon over 40 years ago, so why aren’t we now roaming our solar system or the galaxy in spacecraft? Dr. Krauss describes the daunting challenges facing human space exploration, and explores the realities surrounding our hopes for reaching the stars.

GEOLOGYSpeaker: Victor A. Ramos, Ph.D.

The Patagonia Terrain’s Exotic Origins Did Patagonia evolve as an independent microcontinent that fused with South America 265 million years ago? Dr. Ramos will give you the latest theory on the complex develop-ment of Patagonia. We’ll look at the geologic evidence of Patagonia’s close relationships with Antarctica, Africa, and South America, plus archaeological evidence suggestive of Patagonia’s origins.

The Islands of the Scotia ArcDelve into the dynamic nature of South Georgia and the South Sandwich and South Orkney Islands on the Scotia Plate, one of the youngest, and most active tectonic plates. Deepen your understanding of the

BRIGHT HORIZONS 16FEBRUARY 20 – MARCH 5, 2013 X PATAGONIA X www.InsightCruises.com/sciam16

Explore the far horizons of science while living the dream of rounding Cape Horn. Gather indelible images of the uttermost ends of the Earth in the company of fellow citizens of science. Venture about South America’s uniquely beautiful terrain with Scientific American Travel on the Bright Horizons 16 cruise conference on Holland America’s Veendam from San-tiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 20 – March 5, 2013. An abundance of cultural, natural, and scientific riches await you.

Embrace the elemental suspense of Patagonia. Absorb the latest on neutrinos with Dr. Lawrence Krauss. Immerse yourself in oceanography with Dr. Gary Lagerloef. Survey South America’s deep origins with Dr. Victor A. Ramos. Take a scientific look at beliefs, ethics, and morals with Dr. Michael Shermer. Ponder key questions about extraterrestrial life with Dr. Seth Shostak. See the world in a grain of soot and the future in nanotechnology with Dr. Christopher Sorenson.

You have pre- and post-cruise options to peer into the Devil’s Throat at Iguazu Falls (a great wonder of the natural world), visit Easter Island or the Galapagos, or ascend Machu Picchu.

Savor South America with a friend. The potential of science beckons, and adventure calls on Bright Horizons 16. Please join us! We take care of the arrangements so you can relax and enjoy the natural and cultural splendor of South America. For the full details, email Concierge@insightcruises.com, or call 650-787-5665.

Cruise prices vary from $1,599 for an Interior Stateroom to $5,599 for a Deluxe Suite, per person. For those attending our SEMINARS, there is a $1,575 fee. Taxes, Port Charges, and an Insight Cruises fee are $336 per person. Program subject to change. For more info please call 650-787-5665 or email us at Concierge@InsightCruises.com

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geology, ecosystems, and history of the Scotia Arc, part of the backbone of the Americas.

The Andes: A History of Earthquakes and Volcanoes Unfold deep time and learn how South America took shape. Get the details on how the Andes formed, how active Andean volcanoes are, the Andes as a unique climate change laboratory, and lessons learned from the Chilean earth-quakes of 1960 and 2011. All certain to give you geologic food for thought on your voyage around the Horn.

Darwin in Southern South AmericaDarwin’s voyage on the Beagle is an incredibly rich scientific and human adventure. Learn the highlights of HMS Beagle’s mission in South America in 1833–1835, including Darwin’s geological and biological observations. Gain a sense of South America’s role in Darwin’s life work, and an understanding of his contribution in the context of contemporary science.

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HIGHLIGHTS

ASTROBIOLOGYSpeaker: Seth Shostak, Ph.D.

Hunting for Life Beyond Earth Is Earth the only planet to sport life? Researchers are hot on the trail of biology beyond Earth, and there’s good reason to think that we might find it within a decade or two. How will we find alien biology, and what would it mean to learn that life is not a miracle, but as common as cheap motels?

Finding E.T.Life might be commonplace, but what about intelligent life? What’s being done to find our cosmic confreres, and what are the chances we’ll discover them soon? While most people expect that the cosmos is populated with anthropomorphic aliens aka “little gray guys with large eyes and no hair” you’ll hear that the truth could be enormously different.

What Happens If We Find the Aliens? One-third of the public believes that aliens are visiting Earth, pirouetting across the skies in their saucers. Few scientists agree, but researchers may soon discover intelligent beings sharing our part of the galaxy. Could we handle the news? What facts could be gleaned

SKEPTICISMSpeaker: Michael Shermer, Ph.D.

The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies — How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths The brain as a “belief engine”? Learn how our brains’ pattern-recognition and confirmation bias help form and reinforce beliefs. Dr. Shermer provides real-world examples of the process from politics, economics, and religion to conspiracy theories, the supernatural, and the paranormal. This discussion will leave you confident that science is the best tool to determine whether beliefs match reality.

Skepticism 101: How to Think Like a ScientistHarvest decades of insights for skeptical thinking and brush up on critical analysis skills in a lively session that addresses the most mysterious, controversial, and conten-tious issues in science and skepticism. Learn how to think scientifically and skepti-cally. You’ll see how to be open-minded enough to accept new ideas without being too open-minded.

The Science of Good and Evil: The Origins of Morality and How to be Good Without God Tackle two challenging questions of our age with Michael Shermer: (1) The origins of morality and (2) the foundations of ethics. Dr. Shermer peels back the inner layers covering our core being to reveal complex human motives — good and evil. Gain an understanding of the evolutionary and cultural underpinnings of morality and ethics and how these motives came into being.

The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Lessons from Evolutionary Economics How did we evolve from ancient hunter-gatherers to modern consumer-traders? Why are people so irrational when it comes to money and business? Michael Shermer argues that evolution provides an answer to both of these questions through the new science of evolutionary economics. Learn how evolution and economics are both examples of complex adaptive systems. Get your evolutionary economics tools together.

NANOSCIENCEChris Sorensen, Ph.D.

Fire, Fractals and the Divine Proportion Physicist Chris Sorenson discusses the mysteries, beauties, and curiosities of soot. Take an unlikely journey of discovery of soot to find fractal structures with non-Euclidian dimensionality, networks that tenuously span space and commonalities among spirals, sunflowers and soot. Gain an appreciation for the unity of Nature, and the profound lessons in the commonplace as well as the sublime through soot!

Light ScatteringTake a particle physics perspective and ask: how do particles scatter light and why does light scatter in the first place? What are the effects of scattering on the polarization? How do rainbows, glories and sundogs work? How do light scattering and absorption effect the environment? Get the latest on scattering and see your universe in a new light.

Nanoparticles: The Technology.Nanoscience has spawned a significant nanotechnology. Explore new nanomaterials such as self cleaning surfaces and fibers stronger yet lighter than steel. Then we’ll do some informed daydreaming about far reaching possibilities like nanobots that could take a “fantastic voyage” inside your body or stealth materials for the invisible man. Enjoy reality science fiction at its best!

Nanoparticles: The Science.What makes “nano” so special? Why does nano hold such great promise? Take a look at the clever chemistry that creates the nanoparticle building blocks of the new nanomaterials. Find out why physical properties of nanoparticles differ from larger particles. When this session is over, you’ll understand why small can be better.

MACHU PICCHUFebruary 15–20, 2013 — Scale the Andes and ab-sorb Machu Picchu’s aura. Visit this legendary site of the Inca World, draped over the Eastern slopes of the Peruvian, wrapped in mystery. Whether it was an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti or a site for astronomical calculations, it captures the imagination. Visit Machu Picchu, and see for yourself the massive polished dry-stone structures, the Intihuatana (“Hitching Post of the Sun”), the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. Iconic ruins, rich flora and fauna, and incomparable views await your eye (and your lens).

IGUAZU FALLSMarch 5–7, 2013 — Surround yourself with 260 degrees of 240 foot-high walls of water at Iguazu Falls. Straddling the Argentinian-Brazilian border, Iguazu Falls is split into about 270 discrete falls and at peak flow has a surface area of 1.3 million square feet. (By comparison, Niagara Falls has a surface area of under 600,000 square feet.) Iguazu is famous for its panoramic views and breath-taking vistas of huge sprays of water, lush rainforest, and diverse wildlife.

You’ll walk Iguazu National Park’s extensive and well-engineered circuit paths over the Falls, go on a boat ride under the Falls, be bowled over by the massiveness and eco-beauty, and take a bazillion pictures.

immediately, and what would be the long-term effects such a discovery would have on us and our institutions, such as religion?

The Entire History of the Universe Where and when did the cosmos begin, and what’s our deep, deep future? The book of Genesis gives only a short description of the birth of the cosmos, but modern science can tell a more complex tale. How did the universe get started, and could there be other universes? And how does it all end, or does it end at all?

EASTER ISLANDFebrruary 16–20, 2013 — The moai of Easter Island linger in many a mind’s eye, monumental statues gazing inland, away from the South Pacific. Join Bright Horizons on a four-day pre-cruise excursion to explore the mysteries of Rapa Nui. Visit archaeological sites, learn about the complex cultural and natural history of the island, and absorb the ambiance of one of the most remote communities on Earth. Come along on an adventure where archaeology and environment create memories and food for thought.

GALAPAGOSFebruary 12–20, 2013 — Enter an unearthly natural world in an eight-day pre-cruise excursion to the Galapagos Islands. “See the world in a grain of sand” and hone your knowledge of evolution with your observations in the Galapagos, a self-contained natural history laboratory. We’ll tour Santiago, Chile, and straddle the Equator at the “Middle of the World” complex in Quito, Ecuador. Then off to the Galapagos for a four-day expedition on the mv Galapagos Legend. Accompanied by certified naturalists see the incredibly diverse flora and fauna up close. You’ll have the opportunity to swim and snorkel, and photograph legendary wildlife and wild landscapes. Join Bright Horizons in the Galapagos for all the intangibles that communing with nature provides.